A Fine Day In August

It's been quite sometime now that I have enjoyed such a day fishing for wild brook trout. Yesterday was one of those days that was so frustrating and so rewarding, a day not to be forgotten. The stream chosen is one of those that features spring seeps along it's length, these springs push up cold water to the tune of 58 degrees, and with pretty good volume I might add. The bottom covers most everything from fine to medium cobble, with the larger boulder here and there. Blow downs and wood jams aplenty as well as some grasses that grow in stream. The stream runs through some woods consisting of hardwoods and conifers. The banks in places are a nightmare, but they do protect the streams inhabitants. The brook trout that live here are what I would describe as insanely skittish. One wrong step and all that you'll see is flying darts, when this happens move on to the next pool or run.

The day was cloudy to partly sunny. The air thick with humidity, with that feel of a downpour at any time. You would think that the fish would be holding, well they were holding almost everywhere.

These brook trout are healthy and strong.

The stream side....beautiful to look at but a disaster to navigate through.

The males seem to starting their fall colors.

I have a variety of flies deposited along runs like this.

I fished my TQR rod this day. It's a 5' 2wt. It was perfect for this stream.

This was without question the most colorful brookie of the day. It looked like a torch coming through the grass.

With pronounced colors as these what will October bring.

This fly brought more strikes, as well as a few to hand than any fly used that day. It's a soft-hackle dry fly. I have a few in my box and use them from time to time. They are similar to a fly known as a "Cinberg". I tie them with a light body as well as a brown body.

They approved.

Also represented this day was the "Hornberg"...fished dry and pulled under it brought some violent strikes.

On my way out I met a couple of farmers haying this field. The stream flows close by and gaining access through here would be so kind. In talking to them they informed me that they were not the landowner but instructed me as to who it was. I will pay him a visit and hope to gain permission to fish on his land.